Dr Mark James Adams

Senior Research Fellow

Biography

Background

I am researcher in statistical genetics in the Division of Psychiatry and a lead analyst in the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium.  My background is in theoretical biology and quantitative genetics. I've previously studied personality in monkeys and apes, intelligence in dogs, and cooperative behaviour in birds.

CV

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Qualifications

  • AB Cornell University 2003
  • MSc Quantative Genetics & Genome Analysis, University of Edinburgh 2008
  • PhD Psychology, University of Edinburgh 2012

Responsibilities & affiliations

  • Open Science Maintainer for the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. 

Undergraduate teaching

Lectures on psychiatric genetics for Genetic and Environmental Influences on Mental Health.

Open to PhD supervision enquiries?

Yes

Current PhD students supervised

  • Susan Kanjira (Clinical Sciences)
  • Ella Davyson (Biomed AI)
  • Sam Brentwood (Precision Medicine)

Past PhD students supervised

  • Melissa Lewins (Precision Medicine)
  • Melisa Chuong (Precision Medicine)
  • Keira Johnston (Precision Medicine – Glasgow)

Research summary

I conduct large scale genomic studies of mood disorders (depression and anxiety), with a focus on incorporating information on variation in diagnostic ascertainment and in disorder heterogeneity into genetic discovery. I am also an expert in developing reproducible workflows for biomedical data analysis.

Current research interests

I am currently conducting research on heterogeneity in depressive symptoms and conducting meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of mood disorders.

Past research interests

My previous research was on behaviour genetics and behavioural ecology in wild and semi-wild animal populations. My focus was on combining genetic and psychometric modelling to study personality in non-human primates and on indirect genetic effects to understand competitive and cooperative behaviour in deer and birds.

Project activity

DATAMIND: The Health Data Research Hub for Mental Health I am building reproducible and scalable workflows for analysing multi-omics data to unable collaboration across research cohorts.

AMBER : Antidepressant Medications: Biology, Exposure & Response This project undertakes genetic, informatic and cellular work to give insights into the “active ingredients” of anti-depressants and infer how these drugs can better be used to treat depression. I am working on genetic studies of antidepressant exposure.

The Genetics of Anxiety In Malawi (G-AIM) Study Studying the biological basis of anxiety in very low-income settings.

Generation Scotland I am Lead Bioinformatician for the GS:SFHS and NextGenScot cohorts.

Current project grants

Wellcome Mental Health Award (Co-I): 2025–2029.

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